


Fake it 'til You Make it (Or Don't)

by Dragon_Writes



Category: Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Aromantic Asexual Jughead Jones, Aromantic Character, Aromantic Jughead Jones, Asexual Character, Asexual Jughead Jones, Autistic Archie Andrews, Autistic Jughead Jones, Hard of Hearing Jughead Jones, Jughead Jones & Veronica Lodge Friendship, THEY DESERVE IT, They are, again not outright stated but, also, am I projecting onto Jughead?, it's vaguely implied ngl, listen I don't even know what timeline this follows so just ignore that, that's it that's the fic, the answer is yes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 15:04:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19976059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragon_Writes/pseuds/Dragon_Writes
Summary: Jughead was ten when he realised he wasn’t like the other kids.





	Fake it 'til You Make it (Or Don't)

**Author's Note:**

> The first thing I've uploaded in weeks and it's Riverdale. As surprised as I may be I really enjoyed writing this, and damn Jughead is acearo fight me on it. Uh, if anyone in my family is reading this that I'm not out to then congrats, you found my deep dark secret that the line ends with me. Either way I hope you enjoy!

Jughead was ten when he realised he wasn’t like the other kids.

It had happened suddenly, back in May everyone acted as kids, playing card games and tag with each other, but then school started after summer and the only conversation topic was who had a crush on who.

Everyone, except for him.

He asked Archie about it one day, when the two were sitting in his room and the redhead was going on and on about whichever girl in their grade he found ‘cute’ that week whilst Jughead just absentmindedly nodded his head, fingers fidgeting with the hem of his sleeves.

“Hey, Arch,” he had said, voice unusually small, “Am I weird?”

“What do you mean?” Archie had asked, doing that little head-tilt he always does and giving him a look of such patience that Jughead was sure he could feel his heart clench.

“It’s like, I don’t know, everyone’s obsession with crushes and romance, and I guess I just don’t get it? You’re always talking about how ‘hot’ the girls at school are, but…” he trailed off, staring resolutely at the ground, legs absentmindedly swinging back and forth. The silence continued, and all Jughead could hear was his heart racing in his ears and the faint pain of where he was sure he had almost bitten through his cheek.

“So, you just don’t get crushes?” Archie finally said, his words drawn out and thoughtful.

Jughead didn’t have the ability to speak, just took a breath and nodded his head, desperately avoiding eye contact as the redhead gazed into the distance and hummed.

“Well, I don’t think that makes you weird,” he said softly, and Jughead could see his encouraging smile through the corner of his eye. 

“Really..?”

“Yeah, and it’s not like it changes what I think of you, you’re still my best friend.”

They had continued playing video games afterwards like nothing had happened, laughing the night away before finally passing out on Archie’s bed. Neither mentioned Jughead’s teary eyes or that he was too overwhelmed with emotion to talk, just signed back and forth with identical grins on their faces.

. . .

However, as the years went on, nothing changed in how he felt for people. What used to just be teasing from others about him just being a ‘late bloomer’ eventually morphed into hidden insults, an unspoken “What’s wrong with you” every time the topic was brought up that had him feeling worse and worse about the situation. So, he did what he thought he had to.

May as well fake it til he makes it, right?

He hadn’t planned to, was more than willing to just take the insults thrown his way, it’s not like they were anything new, but then the road trip that didn’t happen obliterated the safety net he had with Archie, and suddenly he was completely alone.

That’s where Betty comes in.

Sweet, sweet Betty, who helped him through it all, whether it be reconciling with Archie or the murder-mystery of Jason Blossom, or when he was accused of said murder and the absolute torture that was getting his dad out when they were finally mending their relationship.

And yet he still couldn’t tell her.

They were in a relationship, with everyone remarking how cute they were as a couple, about how they were destined to be together and how it was “about time you were normal.”

It wasn’t until several months in that Betty finally snapped, a look of hurt on her face once again as he pushed away her advances under the guise of him just “not being in the mood right now, Betts.”

“You never are!” she had cried, hands curled into fists by her sides and probably leaving more crescent moon shapes in her palms. “Is it me? Did I do something? Am I just not attractive to you?!”

Every word was like a punch to the gut, because he didn’t even have an explanation for her.

He took a shuddering breath before responding, “It’s not you, it’s me.”

Her look of confusion took him right back to when he was ten, when he was so unsure of himself and Archie had been the one to comfort him then, with a kind smile and warm eyes. Though this time Betty wore a thoughtful frown with pained eyes, seeming almost as though she were staring through him.

No going back now.

“I just… don’t feel that way, the way everyone else does. Intimacy, kissing, just everything, it’s not something I ever needed, like you, like everyone. So, it’s not you, god it’s not you, I’m just…”

“A weirdo?” she finished, a small smile on her face as she finally met his eyes.

“Yeah…” he whispered, a smile beginning to appear on his own face.

They didn’t bring it up again that night, just sat down to watch a movie and enjoy one another’s company, though Jughead knew that the topic would be inevitably discussed again. However, for now he was content to fall asleep to the subtitles of Rebel Without a Cause.

. . .

In the end, it was Veronica who approached him with the information he had known for years, but hadn’t realised.

He and Betty had broken up on good terms, and since then the blonde had realised she had a massive crush on her own best friend. When she had admitted this with an apologetic smile to him and Archie he had reassured her that he was completely fine with it, with the redhead even volunteering to become her wingman.

He had been sitting at Pop’s, typing away as per usual to kill the time, when she slid into the seat opposite him. Jughead paid her no mind, only snorting a bit when he heard her order a milkshake for each of them.

They sat in only somewhat awkward silence, and it was this moment that Jughead realised they had never really hung out before, not without Betty or Archie. 

Curiosity finally getting the better of him, Jughead closed his laptop, resting his hands on top of the surface and drumming his fingers against it. “Is there a reason you’re here, or did you just want to be in my presence?”

She gave a sharp laugh before replying. “What, can’t I just want to be around my friend?”

She sighed as he just raised his eyebrow, taking a sip of her chocolate milkshake before giving him the truth. “Alright, so I wanted to ask you a couple of questions. You’re always here so I figured I may as well ask them now, and I didn’t think you would appreciate being interrogated with everyone there.”

If there was one thing Jughead knew about Veronica Lodge, it’s that she doesn’t back down when she wants something, meaning that trying to get out of this was pointless.

“Well ask away, may as well get this over with,” he muttered back, taking a sip from his own milkshake.

Which he then choked on as she asked “What’s with you and sex?”

“W-what? I have no idea what you’re talking about-”

“Don’t try that with me, Jones,” she interrupted, her gaze softening as she noticed his panicked face. “Listen, I just wanted to ask, but you don’t have to answer if you’re that uncomfortable.”

“I, uh, no, no, it’s fine, um,” he stuttered, glaring daggers into the table and hands now grasped tightly around his milkshake. “It just, doesn’t appeal to me I guess.”

She gave a thoughtful hum, and the only sound now between them was Pop cleaning the dishes and Jughead’s knee rapidly bouncing underneath the table.

“Have you ever tried seeing if anyone else is the same?” Veronica asked. She smiled as he just shook his head, taking another sip from her milkshake. “Well if you want somewhere to start, maybe try looking up asexual and aromantic.”

She didn’t give him a chance to respond before standing up, leaving some money to pay for the milkshakes. He stared at where she had sat long after she left before glancing at his laptop, which seemed to be mockingly glaring at him, as stupid as it sounds.

It wasn’t until three in the morning that he finally gave into his curiosity, opening a new tab and typing the terms with shaking hands.

The next day in school, Veronica gave him a smug smile and mouthed “I told you so” when he signed a quick ‘Thank you’ as they passed each other in the hallway.

Asexual aromantic, aromantic asexual. He had to admit there was a nice ring to it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! A lot of this was me projecting, and if anyone else relates I would love to hear your stories! Comments and kudos are very much appreciated, and I hope you have a good day/night wherever you may be :)


End file.
